Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-28
THE NATIONAL DRILL.

THE NATIONAL DRILL.
 A Grand AGair-The Sarsaelds' Com-
 petitive Drfll-A Banquet Rendered
 to the Sarsfields and the Vicks-
 burg Southrons Te.Nfght by the
 Irish.American Club.
 rSpecial correspondence of the JOURNAL AND CoUR WASHINGTON, D. o., May 27. The interest in the national drill and en- campment increases The Washington Light Infantry corps had their competitive drill yes terdav, which awakened much enthusiasm among the audience at the drill ground. Many residents of the city desire to have the first prize of $5, 900 secured by this compa- ny, as the organization is seriously in debt. The company went through the ordeal of the drill before the judges with but few errors,
 making splendid exhibition. This con- pany is somewhat known in New Haven. The Toledo Cadets, part of the National Guard of Ohio, whose drill came next, gave a wonderfully perfect exhibition. for which they were generously applauded. In the | opinion of many spectators the Ohio soldiers made less errors than the Washington com pany. The S0rSu6lQ WAO ud& oLAoAA SoA1A petitive drill yesterday, received liberal ap- plause for their many perfectly executed or ders. Their exhibition, which was remark ably well done, was creditable to themselves and to Connecticut. The Washington papers contain aattering notices of the Sarsfelds. All the companies who have drilled before tine judges have made some errors, which is owing to the peculiarity of the orders which captains are required to give. When the marching of the Sarsfelds was noticed in the parade, which was witnessed by the Presl- dent and distinguished guests, it was stated
 by many that the Connecticut company
 would be likely to take home one of the
 prizes, as the execution of orders was so exact.
 Rain which has fallen during the afternoon
 of the last three days, has caused change of the daily programme. The individual drill, in which about one hundred soldiers were contestants, was postponed and the drees pa rsde ordered at o'clock was abandoned. Visitors at Camp George Washington yes
 terday morning did not find any of the com
 panies drilling, as the Washington Critic had
 on the previous evening published the orders
 which were previously kept secret until they
 were handed to the captains few hours be- fore the drill, in consequence of which Gen eral Augur issued orders forbidding company drills at camp.
 The Irish American club, of which Colonel John G. Healy is president, will entertain the Sars6eld Guard and the Vicksburg Southrons at their club rooms on Saturday evening from 8 to II. Several members of Congress are members of the club.
 YESTERDAYS WORK ON THE DRILL GROUND
 THE FIRST PRIZE IN RIFLE PRACTICE WON
 BY WASHINGTON MAYA SEVERE CoMPE-
 TETON FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PRIZE.
 WASHINGTON, May 27.-The fourth day of the national drill was ushered in to fair weather When at 10 o'clock the Indianapc- lis Light Infantry filed into the grounds fully eight thousand people greeted them with applause. The Indianapolis boys were followed by the Alexandria Light Infantry. The Jackson, Michigan, Rifles came next and were we'll received. The Moline Rifles of Brooklyn followed. It was reserved for the Belknap Rifles of San Antonio, Texas, to capture the hearts of the large audience. This company went through the difficult military evolutions with such precision that each movement drew forth loud applause. In the manual of arms this company ap- peared to come nearest of any in attaining the apparent perfection exhibited by the Toledo Cadets yesterday.
 The competitive rife practice was com peted at the arsenal this morning with firing at the 500 and 600 yards ranges. There were original entries from twenty-two States. Thirty eight competitors qualified at the short ranges and thirty completed full scores. The first prize was won by Lieutenant Pol lard of the Washington Light Infantry corps. The prizes are gold medal and $1O0 to the first man, silver medals and $75 each to the three next best and bronze medals and $50 to the four next best The highest possible score was 200.
 Between 2:3O and o'clock a competitive l-:n I.a {ha Rhode Island, the Louisville Legion and the Washington Light Infantry, ninety six men each, participated. During the drill of the Rhode Islanders a rain storm of short duration drove the spectators for the second to shelter, but the men paid no atten- ton to it. By far the most entertaining fea- ture of the days pageantry was the individ- ueI competitive drill-conducted on the country spelling match principls-whieh came after the battalion competition. The sixty competitors were selected men, two from each company, and they were welcomed with cheers as they drew up in front of the judges marquee. At the very outset the eight men for failure to place their pieces against their toes at ''Order arms" The drill was exceedingly severe. Four keen-eyed army officers were on the lookout for errors, traps and pitfalls were set for the unwary and orders came thicker and more abruptly as the work went on. The excitement rose to fever heat when only four men were left standing, to three of whom the prizes must fall. A Belknap Rife man was the first of these to go down and the final struggle then lay between San Antonio Rifeman, Washington Infantry man and sergeant of the Louisville Legion. The judges detected petty mistakes on the part of the two latter and they directed the Texan to step for ward as the winner of the first prize. The successful competitors were: Private H. G. Staaeke, San Antonio Rifles; Charles T. Conrad, Company B, Washington Light Infantry, and Sergeant J.P. Waggoner, Company A, Louisville Legion.
 The Milwaukee Light Battery, Captain J. B. Oliver, consisting of twenty young men in blue trousers, dark blue blouses decorated with garnet braid and gold and garnet caps, gave fine exhibition sabre drill. Fully twelve thousand people gathered to witness the closing pageant of the day, the dress pa rade of the Virginia brigade commanded by General Anderson.